# Shea Butter - allergic reaction



## BiB36 (Jan 9, 2007)

Mod notice: Just a heads up that this is an old thread that was brought back to life.  Some of the information in this thread may still be helpful, but keep in mind that many of the posts and poster opinions may be outdated!


Has anyone used this on their face? I did a ton of research on it and loes what I read. I used pure shea buuter as a moisturizer for three days and I had the most unbeleivable allergic reaction - bumps, dry riased patches. I have had to sleep with my sons A&amp;D Oinment on my face to get it back to normal. Any thoughts???
:10:


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## Leony (Jan 9, 2007)

Sorry that happened to you! I love shea butter, but I never really use it on face, body only.

This thread might help

https://forum.makeuptalk.com/f12...ter-14022.html


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## Leza1121 (Jan 9, 2007)

Hi,

I also love shea butter. It's in body lotions and lip balms I've purchased. Don't recall seeing it in facial moisturizers tho'.


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## alice_alice (Jan 9, 2007)

hi,

ive used shea on my face too and found it made me break out horribly. and i never break out! it really doesn't wokr for me at all. its great as a hair conditioner tho. makes hair sooo shiny.


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## kcperry (Jan 1, 2010)

Thank goodness some else is having an adverse reaction to shea butter. It was in a body wash I was using, and I broke out in little random bumps. Just found out it is in a bar of soup I have been using in the shower, again bumps. Also my skin became very itchy. Now I realize it was in a bar of facial soap, my face began to break out...It is strange, I am not allergic to nuts... I am finding after I discontinue use for a couple of days, the bumps go away...

Does anyone have a theory?


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## magosienne (Jan 2, 2010)

Hi, welcome to MuT !

This thread is old, please check the date in future posts as the original posters might not be here anymore to answer your questions  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />.

In my opinion, two theories :

1/ you said it was in a facial soap and in a body product. Maybe the reaction is not due to shea butter, but to other ingredients, or the whole recipe. Maybe check the ingredients list on both these products and see if there's any common ingredient. Do you have any other known skin allergy issue with a certain product/ingredient ? I know it's easier said than done but it might help you prevent future allergies.

2/ you are allergic to shea butter. It is totally possible, we sometimes assume because something is natural it's safe for us. We tend to forget most of our products are just chemically produced versions of natural supplies. Besides, belladonna is natural too, yet it is poisonous.

You're not allergic to nuts, but the allergy process is not entirely mastered by modern medicine, i know some bizarre associations exist that if you're allergic to something, you should avoid another. I also know for a fact food allergies can build overtime and be started by environmental factors.

To be sure, i'd do a patch test, say in your elbow, with pure shea butter. If you're allergic it should provoke a reaction quickly. Ask around, maybe one of your relatives has some.

The other possibility is go to a doctor and ask for an allergy test.

If you are allergic to shea butter, go for other butters, i think the easiest to find are cocoa and mango butters. You may have to get the pure butters, as i think the most widely use butter in skincare remains shea.


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## cedric07 (Aug 4, 2010)

Sorry to hear about you. Using any beauty product without consulting with your doctor may harm you.Your skin may be allergic with some products. Everyone don't have same skin. That's why different-2 people use different-2 products.Shea butter is allergic towards your skin and you should avoid it.Consult with any skin specialist for further products and therapies.Best of luck.


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## bunkyprewster (Aug 11, 2010)

I would check those ingredients like another PP mentioned. I use a face moisturizer that contains 10% shea butter. I've experienced no adverse reactions from this product, and in addition to that, it only has 4 ingredients.

Hope you find out what might be causing your skin to react.


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## cinderella (Aug 26, 2010)

I had the same reaction like BiB36.


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## prettyfaye (Oct 21, 2010)

Shea Butter should only be used on your body!  Find a gentle facial cream, one that's very natural and use this daily.


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## divadoll (Oct 21, 2010)

> Originally Posted by *prettyfaye* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Shea Butter should only be used on your body!  Find a gentle facial cream, one that's very natural and use this daily.



There's nothing that says shea butter should only be used on your body.  I've used shea butter on my face and I was fine and so does my husband and our friend without any adverse reactions.  Everyone has allergies.


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## Chococatluva (Nov 18, 2010)

I didn't have any reactions to shea butter, but in the same breath it did nothing for me! It seemed to stay on top of my skin and didn't moisturize because it would just come off... The look of my skin never really changed either. And that was pure shea butter, did you use pure shea butter and have this reaction? If it wasn't pure then maybe you had some reactions to the chemicals in it, or both.


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## Natural Beauty (Jan 20, 2011)

I use pure shea butter as my primary body moisturizer, and also occasionally in my hair.  i love the stuff.  i'm also a massage therapist and like to use it as a massage cream.  however, i was concerned for my clients who have tree nut allergies, so i started doing some research.  there is some conflicting information, but most have concluded that is not in the same category as tree nuts (nor is a coconut).  there does seem to be a link or overlap with people who have latex allergies.  they often are also allergic to shea nuts as well.


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## jewele (Jan 20, 2011)

I use shea butter every night to moisturize my facee for over a year now. I'm in my 30's and have acne prone skin and this has never made me break out. I got a small jar at Whole Foods last Thanksgiving and I'm just now hitting the bottom of the jar.


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## Dot and Lil (Jan 20, 2011)

Shea butter is quite rich for the face for most people, although obviously that depends on your skin. People are allergic or sensitive to all kinds of things! But shea butter is a truly awesome ingredient!


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## magosienne (Jan 20, 2011)

> Originally Posted by *Natural Beauty* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> I use pure shea butter as my primary body moisturizer, and also occasionally in my hair.  i love the stuff.  i'm also a massage therapist and like to use it as a massage cream.  however, i was concerned for my clients who have tree nut allergies, so i started doing some research.  there is some conflicting information, but most have concluded that is not in the same category as tree nuts (nor is a coconut).  there does seem to be a link or overlap with people who have latex allergies.  they often are also allergic to shea nuts as well.



So maybe it's crossed allergies, i guess people with nut allergies should do a patch test before using shea butter on their body.


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## Yemee (Dec 3, 2011)

[SIZE=medium]My first time using shea butter was a horrible experience. The first day it did not itch when used it on my scalp. However, the next morning I woke up in severe pain and an itching frenzy. I am positive it was the pure shea but and will never use it again. I should have done better research, I am allergic to trees, but not nuts. [/SIZE]


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## kir-baby (Mar 8, 2012)

I have had dishydrodic / pompholyx eczema (swelling and tiny blisters) on my hands since I was 6. It was bad as a child and into my teens and then intuitively I stopped handling oranges and the problem seemed to go away. At 31 I began juicing oranges by hand and had a massive outbreak that kept me home for almost 2 weeks. It was only then that a doctor made a connection between me handling oranges and my skin condition. For the past 10 years I have avoided oranges intentionally, however about four months ago I discovered shea butter and have been using it on my hands and face multiple times a day for moisturizer. Two months ago I started to get a few blisters and ever since then I have had a non-stop reaction. Yesterday my naturpath tested me for allergies and what do you know? Shea butter and oranges/orange oil are most severe sensitivities! I do have some tree nut allergies (raw almonds and hazelnuts, as well as all raw orchard fruit, all of which make my itch orally) but this is definitely different.

Food for thought!


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## amy doddo (Jan 23, 2013)

Several days ago I used Jergens moisturizer with shea butter---the next day my skin became very dry and scaly on my forehead, cheeks and nose------it felt as if I had "lizard" skin----very flakey-----I waited until today and tried it again----it began to burn my face to the point I could not stand the burning and immediately used cool water to wash it away----after patting my face dry, I actually have puffiness to my face and blotchy red areas-----I am 75 years old and pride myself in my lovely alabaster complexion-----never, never have I experienced this type of reaction to anything I have ever put on my face----I immediately grabbed my "blue emu" creme to saturate the blotchy face I was looking at in the mirror----how cool and soothing the "blue emu" creme felt and what a relief!    It had to have been the shea butter-------what in God's name could be in that product????


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## anniea (Feb 12, 2013)

Ugh I made the mistake of putting shea butter on my face two days ago and i'm still broken out quite badly. My only known allergies up to this point were strawberries and penicilin. Guess I can add shea butter to the list... but what was weird was I'd been using the body butter on my arms and legs with no problem. I think the chemical composition of it reacts poorly with the more delicate complection of the skin on the human face for some people. It was fine on my arms where I use it to keep a reocurring dry patch of skin at bay. Either way I will never put this on my face again and its gonna take a lot of courage to even try my arms again.


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## MissJessicaMary (Feb 13, 2013)

I tried it one time a few weeks ago before bed. It ended up causing a burning feeling, so I had to get up and wash it off. I did not break out, but maybe it was because I washed it off so fast. I use coconut oil on my face all the time now with no issues, but I will not be trying the shea butter again.


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